Graeme Downie

The Procurement Act 2023, which came into force on 24 February this year, introduces new powers to exclude, terminate or debar suppliers from public sector supply chains on a variety of grounds. In line with the Act, the Government will operate the new powers on a country-agnostic basis, with each supplier and type of technology examined individually. We remain committed to protecting our critical national infrastructure and will continue to keep under review the risks associated with internet-facing technologies and components on an ongoing basis, both where they fall in scope of the Procurement Act and through other levers.

The National Security Unit for Procurement (NSUP) will support the implementation of new powers to protect public procurement from suppliers that pose a threat to national security. It will become operational on commencement of the Procurement Act on February 24th 2025 and we plan to publish guidance for contracting authorities on the application of the national security exclusion grounds ahead of that date. This is being complemented by more general training and engagement on the act run by the Cabinet Office’s Transforming Public Procurement Programme, and the wider suite of guidance which is already available.

The UK's longstanding position on Taiwan has not changed. The UK-Taiwan Trade Talks have taken place since 1991 and I look forward to co-chairing these this year. Under the UK and Taiwan Enhanced Trade Partnership we have committed to developing 'pillars' on Investment, Digital Trade and Renewable Energy and Net Zero. We are working with the Taiwanese authorities to develop and deliver these.

UK-Taiwan Trade Talks and the Enhanced Trade Partnership will support our strong unofficial relationship with Taiwan, based on deep and growing ties in a range of areas, including trade and investment.

On 30 July 2024, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) was invited, alongside other Government Departments, to provide written evidence to the Strategic Defence Review (SDR).

DBT responded to that call for evidence on 23 September 2024. The findings of the SDR are due to be published in 2025.

Similar measures have already been introduced in the UK through the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. This introduces new rules to protect consumers from being trapped in unwanted subscription contracts, including a requirement for traders to provide straightforward ways for consumers to end contracts. These rules apply to all traders who target UK consumers, whether they are located in the UK or not. Nevertheless, the US initiative sets a standard the Government welcomes.

Similar measures have already been introduced in the UK through the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. This introduces new rules to protect consumers from being trapped in unwanted subscription contracts, including a requirement for traders to provide straightforward ways for consumers to end contracts. These rules apply to all traders who target UK consumers, whether they are located in the UK or not. Nevertheless, the US initiative sets a standard the Government welcomes.

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 introduces new rules to protect consumers from being trapped in unwanted subscription contracts, including a requirement for traders to provide straightforward ways for consumers to end contracts. The Government will be consulting later this year on proposals to inform the secondary legislation required to implement the regime.

The Department collaborates with other government departments, agencies and industry partners to understand and mitigate threats to energy infrastructure, setting robust regulatory standards for cyber through the Network and Information Systems Regulations. This includes working with regulators to ensure these regulations cover critical operators as the sector evolves.

Recognising the importance of renewable and smart energy systems for flexibility and decarbonisation, the department is working to ensure the system is developed in a way that is secure by design, and protects energy supply, infrastructure and consumers. As part of this work, Government has published two consultation packages which sets out proposals for minimum security and grid stability requirements, including for organisations remotely controlling electrical load.

We take a consistent, long-term and strategic approach to managing relations with China and will co-operate where we can, compete where we need to, and challenge where we must.

As an open economy, we welcome foreign trade and investment where it supports growth and jobs in the UK and meets our legal and regulatory requirements. We work closely with industry to build secure supply chains and back UK businesses. The government has also established Great British Energy to drive forward greater investment in clean, home-grown energy production and to build supply chains across the UK.

While I have not yet had any discussion on this matter, I welcome news of any plans that Scottish Power may have for developing projects that could help in the transition to clean power, including hydrogen production. Low carbon hydrogen can play a key role in our 2030 Clean Power Mission, as well as creating good jobs in our industrial heartlands, delivering a just transition, and achieving net zero.

As of 30 September, there were 119,244 members of the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme.

Growing innovative manufacturing companies will be key to unlocking growth across the economy.

Optics has many applications across different sectors and we provide a range of support for firms specialising in it. For example, UKRI is funding over £116,000 to the University of Edinburgh and Optos PLC based in Dunfermline to develop technology for optical medical devices.

The National Physical Laboratory provides a comprehensive range of optical calibration and measurement services, supporting industry in the design and production of optical components.

We are aware of creative industry concerns relating to the use of copyright works by generative AI developers without a licence.

We believe that greater certainty over copyright and AI would support growth in both the creative industries and the AI sector.

This is a complex topic, and we want to take the time to carefully consider the issues and their economic impacts, including the use of copyright content by generative AI developers.

That is why the Government will soon be launching a consultation on copyright and AI. We welcome evidence of economic impact from the creative and media sectors.

The Government believes that greater certainty over copyright and AI would support growth in both the creative industries and the AI sector.

This is a complex topic, and we want to take the time to hear stakeholder views and carefully consider the issues, including the licensing of copyright content for use by generative AI models.

The Government is engaging with stakeholders to inform its approach and will soon be launching a consultation on a package of measures to address copyright and AI issues.

The UK is consistently rated as having one of the best IP systems in the world, allowing innovators to protect their IP and seek remedy through the courts when it is infringed.

We are not aware of widespread concerns about the potential impact of IP theft on the AI sector but welcome reports of any instances of theft, to inform our awareness on this issue.

Animal Health Certificates are obtained from an official veterinarian. All fees are set by veterinary surgeons or veterinary practices and are a private matter between individual practices and their clients.

Defra applied to the European Commission in February 2020 for the United Kingdom (UK) and Crown Dependencies to be listed as a ‘Part 1’ third country for the purposes of the EU pet travel scheme having met all of the EU’s stated conditions to be granted this. However, the EU formally ‘listed’ the UK as a ‘Part 2’ third country, meaning pet owners can no longer use pet passports issued in Great Britain (GB) for travel to the EU and instead need a single use Animal Health Certificate (AHC).

The Government wants to reset our relationship with the EU and will meet with European partners over the coming months to discuss how we might deepen cooperation. However, it is too early to speculate on the scope or outcome of these discussions, including in relation to pet travel.

Defra applied to the European Commission in February 2020 for the United Kingdom (UK) and Crown Dependencies to be listed as a ‘Part 1’ third country for the purposes of the EU pet travel scheme having met all of the EU’s stated conditions to be granted this. However, the EU formally ‘listed’ the UK as a ‘Part 2’ third country, meaning pet owners can no longer use pet passports issued in Great Britain (GB) for travel to the EU and instead need a single use Animal Health Certificate (AHC).

The Government wants to reset our relationship with the EU and will meet with European partners over the coming months to discuss how we might deepen cooperation. However, it is too early to speculate on the scope or outcome of these discussions, including in relation to pet travel.

Guidance can be found here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wreck-and-salvage-law. Local port acts may contain additional definitions that may vary from act to act.

The gov.uk website provides a definition of abandoned when discussing derelict vessels. Guidance is available on Wreck and salvage law - GOV.UK and port association websites.

At present there is no evidence that the department has received that suggests that the definitions require updating. The department keeps all of its guidance under review and should there be a need to, updates guidance accordingly.

While DFT keeps in regular contact with our counterparts in Transport Scotland, Ports policy is devolved and any issues regarding Scottish ports and harbours would be for colleagues at Transport Scotland and the relevant Scottish minister to oversee.

DfT has not been made aware that there is a substantial issue around derelict small boats in Scottish harbours, either by Scottish authorities during our regular engagement or members of the public. The department would of course welcome a meeting with the relevant Scottish authorities if they felt there was a need to do so.

For the majority of vehicle safety testing, it is not necessary to differentiate between male and female physiology to deliver the desired outcome. For example, where a force is required on a brake control or to release a seat belt buckle, that force will be set well within the physical capabilities of most males and females.

However, there are some contexts in which differing injury thresholds between the sexes is important. For this reason, the latest international vehicle regulation covering frontal impact protection uses crash test dummies representative of both male and female occupants. The Government is currently considering mandating this regulation as part of an extensive package of vehicle safety measures.

We announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper that we would establish a new guarantee of support for all disabled people and people with health conditions claiming out of work benefits who want help to get into or return to work. This is backed up by £1 billion of new funding across the United Kingdom, with the share of funding for devolved governments calculated in the usual way.

In Northern Ireland employment support is fully transferred. In Scotland and Wales, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Scottish and Welsh Governments have concurrent powers to deliver employment support, with some provision delivered and funded directly by DWP and some funding devolved through the block grant.

As outlined in the Get Britain Working White Paper, we are committed to working in partnership with the Scottish and Welsh Governments on shared employment ambitions across devolved and reserved provision, which includes employment support measures in the Health and Disability Green Paper.

The Disability Confident scheme expenditure is not separately recorded within departmental budgets.

The work allowance for individuals who are found limited capability for work and work related activity (LCWRA) will remain unchanged to continue to incentivise people to try work.

In the reformed system, work allowances will continue to be available to those who receive the UC health element. We want to enable people to take advantage of this strong financial incentive to work, which means they can earn up to £404 a month (or over £673 if they don’t get help with housing costs) without their benefits being affected.

We published an Equality Analysis and Policy Rationale impacts alongside the Spring Statement.

Further analysis for the measures in the Green Paper, not included in the Spring Statement, will be published in due course.

No decision has been made on this policy. The key principle of our focus for 18-21 year olds should be helping them to be earning or learning, because of the long-term scarring effects for young people of a period of unemployment. That is why we are consulting on delaying access to the UC health top up until age 22 with savings reinvested into work support and training opportunities.

Universal Credit Health caseload statistics are available on DWP Stat-Xplore and were most recently updated with December 2024 data.

In December 2024, 13,650 and 68,350 16- to 21-year-olds in Great Britain were in the Limited Capability for Work (LCW) and Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) groups respectively.

Table: 16–21-year-olds in (a) Dunfermline and Dollar, (b) Scotland and (c) Great Britain on the UC Health caseload (December 2024)

1. Statistical disclosure control has been applied to this table to avoid the release of confidential data and are rounded to the nearest 10.
2. Totals may not sum due to this disclosure control and rounding.
3. Figures are a count of the number of people on Universal Credit health on the second Thursday of the month.
4. Figures are Experimental Official Statistics

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